Opening:George Crum loved to cook. He fricasseed and flambéed, boiled and braised, poached and pureed. He made sorbets and soufflés, stews and succotashes, ragouts and goulashes.

Brief synopsis (jacket flap)
Diners flock from far and wide to sample George Crum’s delectable dishes – sorbets and soufflés, stews and succotashes, ragouts and goulashes. George is considered the best cook in the county.

That is until, one day, George is put to the test when a customer comes in with a hankering for potatoes. Just potatoes. Cooked to perfection. Will it be a tater triumph, or will the spud stickler leave unsatisfied?

Activities and Resources:
Try potatoes a new way. Follow a recipe. Then, think of a way to make it just a little different.

Alliteration abounds in this story. Have some fun finding examples, and create more of your own.

Why I like this book:
I must confess – I love potatoes. They really are the most versatile vegetable. And who doesn’t wonder where the potato chip idea came from?

Even the best cook in the county doesn’t always get it right the first time. But Mr. Crum doesn’t give up. Nope. When a persnickety customer drives him to the extreme, he ends up with the irresistible potato chip. It’s always fun to learn about inventions and innovations that resulted from mistakes or about people who just kept on trying.

The text delights the tongue with sumptuous words, and illustrations tickle the senses. Enjoy!

Visit author Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Books for a plethora of picture books listed by title and topic/theme, each with teacher/parent activities and resources.

As soon as I saw this cover, I knew it HAD to be the same artist illustrating Patricia Valdez’ debut PB Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles! What an interesting artist – this book sounds fabulous!